By Raymond Ozoji
The Government of the federation has trained over 500 cooperative farmers in the Southeast zone of the country on agricultural best practices as it concerns warehouse produce system.
The one-day capacity building which was held at the multi-purpose auditorium of the Federal Cooperative College Oji River Enugu State, was a veritable platform for cooperative farmers of tuber crops from the Southeast geopolitical zone to acquire modern techniques in the storage and preservation of farm produce.
Farmers at the training not only acquired skills and modern farming techniques as resource persons took ample time to teach them the nitty gritty of modern warehousing methods but also given grants to invest in their agric businesses.
The Provost of the Federal Cooperative College Oji River Enugu State Dr. Owan Obodagu Tonica, who was represented by the College Registrar and Chairman of the occasion Mr. Gwunyenga Innocent Izu, said the workshop was organised by the federal government to empower and encourage farmers to ensure food security in the country.
Owan therefore advised the farmers to make judicious use of the grants given to them by the federal government so as to reduce unemployment and also curb the menace of food insecurity in the country.
One of the Coordinators of the workshop, who equally functions as the College Admissions Officer Hon. Obinna Ezeano, said that the essence of the training session was to empower famers and cooperative societies in the rural areas with knowledge and skills to enable them to do better in their agricultural practices.
Ezeano noted that the workshop created an opportunity for the farmers to learn about new developments and trends in farming business especially as it concerns mechanised agriculture.
He said the federal government not only created platform for the empowerment training but also provided grants for the farmers to start something or better still improve on what they have been doing, with the knowledge and skills they acquired from the training workshop.
He also described the workshop as a forum for interface and cross fertilisation of ideas amongst various cooperative groups inorder to grow relationships in the quest for food security in the country.
Ezeano therefore corroborated the Provost's advice, stressing the need for the farmers to make judicious use of the N100,000 grant given to each of them by the federal government as it would go a long way to have a multiplier effect in their businesses.
Dr. Lebechukwu David Uzochukwu of the Department of Cooperative Economics and Management of the Federal Cooperative College Oji River Enugu in his paper presentation titled " Warehouse Management System For Root And Tuber Crops" highlighted some of the problems of warehousing to include inaccurate inventory, poor warehouse planning, excess inventory, low traceability and monitoring, human capital problems, lack of adequate storage space, lack of security, poor ventilation, poor lighting amongst numerous others.
Uzochukwu however recommended that to address the aforestated problems, farmers should amongst other prospects and solutions, design a supplier's fulfillment programme to improve relationship between them and suppliers in terms of tuber crops handling and transport times.
He suggested that farmers should carryout stock-taking constantly rather than checking inventories in a typical fashion makes it easier for them to control inventory and helps avoid interruptions and stoppages in operations.
He also postulated amongst others that implementing dynamic slotting makes it possible to constantly change the location of products within the warehouse according to demand.
Also in his paper presentation titled " Problems And Prospects Of Tuber Crops Warehousing" Mr. Chris Ogbu held that the problems facing tuber crops warehousing include inadequate storage facilities, pest and disease infestation, poor ventilation and temperature control, limited access to modern technology, training and capacity building, limited funding and investment as well as inadequate handling and transportation.
Ogbu therefore posited that the aforementioned problems can be surmounted, if improved food security, increased income for farmers, reduced post harvest losses, enhanced quality, job creation, increased exports and private sector investment are taken into consideration.
He added that the lack of proper and adequate warehousing system in the agricultural distribution chain contributes substantially to food insecurity in Nigeria as tuber crops suffer high degree of post harvest losses if not properly stored.
He however suggested that farmers of tuber crops are encouraged to embrace the idea of proper warehousing of their produce as it will no doubt help maintain steady supply of tubers throughout the year thereby reducing seasonal fluctuations and also increase income for farmers when market prices are favourable.
Mr. Agusi Fabian Iloh, a poultry farmer, who was a participant at the one-day capacity building workshop, said he learnt new dimensions of poultry farming from the exercise.
He said the knowledge he garnered from it and the N100,000 grant from the federal government would help tremendously to improve his poultry business.
Meanwhile the College Internal Auditor Mr. Daniel Okeze, the Dean of Students' Affairs Mr. Monday Negbe, the Coordinator of the workshop Mr. Isaac Ekabua, the College Bursar Mr. Mohammed Ocheja were some of the dignitaries present at the workshop while highlights were certificate presentation to participants.
The capacity building training will also be held in Delta and Bayelsa states respectively.
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